Artificial Christmas Trees Spell Relief for Many Holiday Allergy Sufferers

Their popularity continues to grow as people seeking permanent solutions turn over a "new leaf".

Redwood City, CA (PRWEB) June 18, 2007 -- Does this sound like a ghost from your Christmas past? You buy a tree at the Christmas tree farm, bring it home on the car, plant it proudly on the tree stand in the living room and decorate it with ornaments, tinsel and lights. You sit on the couch with your family in the warm glow of the tree lights, sip eggnog and smile contentedly.

All of a sudden, something changes. First, you notice a tingle in your nose, then the sneezing starts, followed by itchy eyes, runny nose, and a dry hacking cough. Finally, you break out in a full-blown rash. Sound familiar? To many during the holiday season, live Christmas trees (http://www.balsamhill.com/) in the house mean only one thing: a long holiday of allergy misery.

Having spent many a holiday watching his brother-in-law struggle through unbearable allergies, Thomas Harman, CEO of Balsam Hill™ Christmas Tree Company, was inspired to provide a better alternative for families struggling with allergies during the holidays.

"Marrying into a family with tree allergies was a real wakeup call," states Harman. "To combat the allergies, the family ended up buying a very sad-looking artificial tree. It was so pathetic that I was inspired to find a better option, but I sniffed around and couldn't find one. This led to the formation of Balsam Hill™ - now we celebrate in style with a True Needle™ tree that looks real but doesn't set off any of my in-laws' allergies!"

Balsam Hill™ makes premium artificial Christmas trees (http://www.balsamhill.com/Artificial-Christmas-Trees-s/1.htm)--as well as wreaths and garlands (http://www.balsamhill.com/Wreaths-and-Garland-s/2.htm)--in many styles, sizes and shapes, for many different consumer tastes. Helping people avoid the allergy pitfalls of a live Christmas tree in the home while providing a beautiful, truly real-looking alternative is Harman's mission.

"One in 10 people are allergic to sap or pollen in trees, and many more are susceptible to the mold spores and dust mites that find their way into the bark, branches and leaves of trees. When you bring a tree home, you invite all of it into your home. Why can't you have an artificial tree that's just as beautiful as the real thing, without the corresponding allergies?"

Dave Kahn, associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, agrees. "Any live Christmas tree (http://www.balsamhill.com/) can cause allergies because anything from outside that's brought inside is likely to bring mold spores with it." In lieu of a real tree, Kahn suggests that "buying an artificial tree, and keeping it dust-free, is probably the healthiest bet for an allergy sufferer."

This opinion is echoed on the website of The College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, which cites terpene, found in the oil or sap of Christmas trees, wreaths (http://www.balsamhill.com/Wreaths-and-Garland-s/2.htm) and garlands, as a prime culprit for many allergy sufferers, and recommends avoiding natural Christmas trees and decorations altogether.

It is important to note that if not stored properly, artificial Christmas trees, as well as ornaments and decorations, can cause allergies from a year of collecting mold and dust in the attic or basement. For this reason, Harman says, "Our trees come with a re-sealable bag to keep dust and moisture off your tree," but warns "it's also a good idea to keep ornaments and lights stored properly, away from dust and moisture, because they can set off allergies as well."

Allergies can suck the holiday cheer from the most festive souls. In order to avoid allergy nightmares of Christmas past, options now abound for the allergy sufferer to enjoy beautiful artificial trees without the corresponding misery that live trees bring to your home. For this, the ghosts of your Christmas future will be very happy when you bask in the glow of Rudolph's shiny red nose in your living room, relieved that the red nose no longer belongs to you.

About Balsam Hill Christmas Tree Company

Balsam Hill (http://www.balsamhill.com/)™ was founded on the idea that an artificial Christmas tree (http://www.balsamhill.com/Artificial-Christmas-Trees-s/1.htm) should look absolutely real. Whether you select an artificial tree due to allergies, fire safety laws, or just for the simplicity and ease of an artificial tree, Balsam Hill hopes you'll enjoy the artistry and craftsmanship of our products as much as we do.

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